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| Sunsets, oh the sunsets. |
I have a secret. An open secret that I shared for six days in the desert somewhere between sevenish and a lace umbrella. I think I found a place, a floating island in the sky perhaps, where you dressed how you would if the world did not judge. Where under the sun we danced in the dusty sparkles and when the stage turned we tumble into luminous laughter. A place where around every corner there was a story to be taught by a new friend or a whispering sculpture.
Today is my first day back in reality after my wide-eyed awakening in that devilish dream land, AfrikaBurn. Why was it such a big secret you ask? Because words, stories, not even photos and videos can explain the root of the glow in my heart and the sparkle in my eyes from those few days. It is an experience I shared with a few thousand beautiful souls and a handful of special friends and it will be our secret till you come and learn it yourself. This is a little of what I learned;
- Forget everything and anything you once knew about yourself, you will come back changed.
- Remember the 11 guiding principles and you'll be fine. This includes both internal and external reflection.
- You might 'Leave no trace' but you take back so much, and I do not mean stuff I mean intangible blessings.
- With those 11 guiding principles there are so many points I wish some people would take into their own lives. Basic teachings and leanings which we should all practice in everyday life, not just for 6 days. Just a thought.
- Disregard monopoly, that part of your life is over, till you return to reality that is. Bother.
- With 9000 people and 95 registered art works this year, you are not going to meet them all. I am just grateful for the ones I did get to meet, and yes I am also referring to the art… You will meet them when you get there, they have feelings too… or at least I had feelings for them.
- Being a creative, I really felt for the artists during the burns. (they literally burn the works to the ground… leave no trace…remember.) There is beauty in the primal nature of the fires and the freedom. But my goodness… the idea of burning my work, I have so much admiration for them.
- Embrace every person you meet and disregard your pre-perceptions of them, they are most likely about to teach you something. They might be Einstein or the March Hare, but that is the beauty of the Playa, you never really know.
- The African terrain will teach you and test you. Personally I found skipping and stumbling through the karoo brambles rather fun, and I like my new sun kissed skin.
- Speaking of teachings, Tankwa also tests your relationships. If there is one thing I learnt on this journey it is how well my love and I excel when our worlds are turned upside-down and how much I appreciate this quality in our relationship. There is a lot of love at Afrikaburn, but after all this time, ours still burns the brightest.
- Last but not least, when I arrived at TankwaTown there was a lot of hugging going on. Being a person with a big personal bubble which I like to keep closed, I found this rather odd. But by the end of it, I was swooning with all the hugs I received and gave out. There is this unspoken connection. My boyfriend came back last year with this (the secret, you see!) and I couldn't put my finger on it till my AfrikaBurn bubble was popped. Hugs, they're fuzzy and I like it.
So after months of preparation and weeks of excitement it is all over. Poof! Just like that. It is gone. It was my first adventure to a land far far awayish but it was most definitely not my last…
xoxo
PS. And even under the kiwi triangles of that funny (not so shady) Now-Now tree, I dream to go home.
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| Mutant vehicles - Rhino DJ |
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| The Kissing Tree, one of my favourites. |
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| My bunnies - love! |
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| Reflection |
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| Sunsets and beauty |
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| Mutant bus, the Ledhedz DJ's |
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| Hugs on the Playa |
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| Love and light |
11 Guiding Principles,
AfrikaBurn,
AfrikaBurn 2014,
Burn,
Burning Man,
fire,
hugs,
Karoo,
kiss,
Leave no trace,
love,
Moop,
Now Now Tree,
Playa,
Tankwa,
Tankwa Town,
trickster
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